Tuesday, November 08, 2016

Take our politicians: they're a bunch of yo-yos. The presidency is now a cross between a popularity contest and a high school debate, with an encyclopedia of cliches the first prize. ~Saul BellowThe idea that you can merchandise candidates for high office like breakfast cereal - that you can gather votes like box tops - is... the ultimate indignity to the democratic process. ~Adlai Stevenson, speech, Democratic National Convention, 18 August 1956"America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say 'You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.'"The American President, script by Aaron Sorkin “If the devil decided to run for President, do you think he/she would put on their horns and wicked grin, or a suit with an angelic smile? If the wicked witch stayed green and ugly, would she have been able to give Snow White a poisoned apple? And if the Big Bad Wolf had not disguised himself as an old granny, would he have been able to lure Little Red Riding Hood into the house to eat her? And if a drug dealer wanted to seduce some school kids to get on his drugs, would he act like a greedy businessman — or a caring friend? Salt and sugar look exactly the same but taste very different. We live in a world of illusions, one filled with Luciferians acting like righteous men, and righteous men condemned as criminals.”― Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem

14 comments:

mike
said...

I think your sidebar "Nope Noper" should be reversed, but each to their own opinion at this very special event, perhaps non-event, and just a tedium. The real show probably starts tomorrow, as part 2 of this wonderment devolves into an ouroboros of monotonous continuation. The producers of this show may even throw-in a part 3, occurring around January 20, 2017, as Uranus-Pluto square are within their final 3* of square, though not actually squaring...plus Jupiter will align into a T-square with these two for most of 2017.

“Just for the record, the weather today is partly suspicious with chances of betrayal.” Chuck Palahniuk, Diary

mike ~ Re the sidebar image - I'd rather they both just said "Are you flippin' kidding me?" I think I've been put off Hillary Clinton more by many of her horrible supporters online than by herself - apart from the very real danger to the world of her hawkish tendencies. Her supporters have really got my goat, especially during the last few weeks.

Although it's pretty much a done deal, and has been for a long time, it'd be counter-productive for media and advertisers to allow voters to feel confident.

I don't know how much of tonight's TV I'll be able to watch - wish I had the discipline to not watch any of it, but I don't.

I've grown to seriously dislike the sight of 'em all, as well as the words of most blogs and websites and their commentary clans. Only naked capitalism and Truthdig have remained bearable. I've even taken to reading No Quarter again of late - Larry Johnson is a fairly sensible guy - as long as one doesn't read comments there it's usually not bad at all. Maybe I'm turning into a conservative? Maybe the ouroboros of politics in me is eating its tail. :-D

Twilight ~ As someone who won't vote for either DT or HRC, I've also been more put off by 'liberal' HRC supporters, at least the folks who consistently misrepresent and omit pertinent facts related to substantive issues, or who fail to comprehend the deeper truths behind those facts.

Truth-tellers like Chris Hedges (who can always be counted on to reveal the darkest truths), as well as sites like CounterPunch and Black Agenda Report, help provide a necessary counterbalance. Although harsh at times (I rarely agree on every point), it's comforting to know not everyone is in deep denial about the state of our world and *both* major parties.

"Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will." Martin Luther King, Jr.

Adding how I like Naked Capitalism too (thanks to your mention of it, Twilight), and still read and appreciate some of the articles and comments on Common Dreams and Truthdig.

Re Common Dreams - yes, I used to be a regular there a few years ago. Something there changed though, around the time they adopted Disqus for commenting. The original set of commenters disappeared gradually - most of them had been excellent and very knowledgeable - taught me a lot. However, I've become soured by many current Common Dreams commenters' highly objectionable remarks about Senator Sanders. Their disappointment in his supporting HRC is understandable, yet it's what he always pledged to do - probably had to do, in order to run as a Democrat and thus get his views heard. He did so very well, and awakened many who might otherwise still be asleep!

Sorry, Twilight. That Anonymous comment you just responded to was mine.:)

As far as the "'highly objectionable remarks about Senator Sanders'" you mention, since I was never a supporter of his candidacy, I wasn't surprised when he pledged support for HRC. As you rightly pointed out, he'd been saying all along it's what he would do.

LB ~ You know....I suspected as much (that it was you) but wasn't quite sure, to responded accordingly. :-)

We voted this morning. Things at our polling place were steady rather than busy.In the end I opted to vote for the only 3rd party candidate for president on the ballot - Gary Johnson. It is a protest vote - fairly meaningless in the great scheme of things, but I could not vote Clinton or Trump and live with myself.

More important, for us, today were the choices down-ballot, state senate etc. and local questions, which included stuff about death penalty, sale of liquor in supermarkets, use of farm land, and extra money for education from a sales tax.

.

About Me

Also answers to Ann or Annie or even Twilight Annie (sounds like a character from Dickens - or Damon Runyan!)
British-born, living in the USA since 2004, US citizen since 2008.
Self-taught non-professional dabbler in astrology, which took up most of the blog-space here from Aug. 2006 to Aug. 2012. The blog now covers more general topics, along with occasional astrology- related posts. Archives can be accessed easily via links in the sidebar.